


Choices

by sspaz1000



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Choose Your Own Adventure, Gen, Team Adventure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sspaz1000/pseuds/sspaz1000
Summary: It's a choose your own story with your favorite team.





	1. End of The Long Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> **Originally Published: Sep. 14th, 2016**
> 
> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Callen is off in his own world hanging up their tactical gear when Kensi walks by patting him on the shoulder. It brings him back to the moment, looking around at the team in the armory. “Nice having you around Talia.”

She smiles, “You know we should hang out sometime.”

Callen raises his eyebrows, “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Grabbing her bag, “Go to a Clippers game, grab some beer…”

“Mhmm, the Rockets are in town this weekend.” Callen replies.

“Yeah…” she fades off.

Deeks turns and looks at them confused, “What is happening here?” Pointing to Talia, “I’m usually the object of your inappropriate workspace attention.” Looking at Callen, “And you, I thought we had plans this weekend.”

Kensi is in the background looking amused at what is unfolding before her.

“This is exactly why I didn’t commit to you Deeks.” replies Callen.

Deeks looks at G slightly dumbfounded.

Turning slightly to acknowledge Talia, Callen says, “I’ll think about it.”

A soft smile appears on Talia’s face. “You should.”

“Mmhmm” G says.

Deeks is standing there wondering why this is happening. “What about me?”

Talia looks at Deeks, “Oh settle down Deeks. He’s obviously a social guy, you should cut him some slack.”

Callen looks at Talia and then to Deeks, an amused smirk shows on his face. Kensi looks at the three of them and chimes in, “Callen always has plans.” She says it like it’s nothing new.

Deeks rolls his eyes and says, “Yeah like what? Stare at the ocean and smolder?”

Callen nods slightly at this, and is wondering how his nightly habits became the topic of their conversation.

Talia studies Callen’s face for a moment, “You do give a good smolder.” she says.

Callen grins with satisfaction, “Thank you.”

Deeks is still wondering how this is all happening.

Kensi looks at the gang, “OK. Goodnight Deeks.”

Deeks looks surprised that Kensi would be starting to leave without him. “Wait, where are you going?”

“I’m going to binge copious amounts of ice cream with females only.” she nods and points to Talia.

The ladies smile and laugh as they walk out of the armory.

Before the ladies leave Deeks makes a last ditch effort to convince them to not let him go home alone. “I’m sorry. But who is going to sit here and listen to me vent?”

Talia turned back to face Deeks, “Not us.” She laughs slightly looking at Kensi as they talked about their girls night in.

Callen looked at Deeks, “Goodnight Deeks.”

Deeks glances at Callen, “Wait, I have a solution. How about tonight?”

Callen doesn’t grasp what Deeks is suggesting. “What about tonight?”

“You and I go grab beers tonight.”

“Guy, I told you, I have to think about that.”

Deeks is not giving up. “Think about what? Tonight is happening. RIGHT NOW. We’re on this ride together.”

Callen is standing there in amazement of Deeks’s persistence as Deeks whips out his cell phone.

“I have a place, the perfect place. OK.”

“Really.” Callen says slowly knowing that Deeks’s idea of perfect place and his will differ greatly.

“It’s are right around the corner… They got a…” Deeks is looking up the menu on his phone as Callen starts to slowly tiptoe out of the armory. “They have a happy hour for the next two hours. They’ve got, uh, craft beers. You like craft beers?”

“Love craft beer.” said Callen as is so close to leaving the armory but not quite out of the woods yet.

“Ok, so they have craft beer, jalapeno poppers, potato skins, and oh they got the mozzarella sticks. That’s the trifecta. You can’t turn down the trifecta.” Deeks looks up from his phone… only to realize that he is all alone in the armory.

“Callen? Are we just going to meet there?” Silence. “All right, I’ll just text you the address.”

Deeks texted the address to Callen and finished cleaning up in the armory. Meanwhile, Callen felt the buzz from his phone indicating there was a text. He was just sitting in his car deciding what he was going to do with his evening.

[Click here for Callen goes home to smolder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70206975)  
[Click here for Callen checks in on Sam](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70208199)  
[Click here for Callen goes out with Deeks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70208757)


	2. Callen Goes Home to Smolder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Callen looks at the text from Deeks. He knows he shouldn’t have been that nonchalant about hanging out with Deeks, but this case was intense. Jada could most likely be going back to her death, and knowing that he could have forced her to stay weighs heavily on his mind. As much as a cold brew sounds great, Callen needs to go home and clear his thoughts.

Pulling out of the Mission, he makes the drive back to his place in silence. Walking into his house he drops his bag down, and gets a beer. Taking a swig, he walks into his room, and opens up his laptop. After a few minutes of idly clicking on some news stories, Callen decides he didn’t want to be in his place at that moment.

Getting in the car he heads to his favorite hideaway on the beach. Taking a seat by the pier, he slides his shoes off and dips his toes in the water. He hisses at the coolness but sighs as his toes squish in the sand. Wiggling his toes around, he takes a deep breath and thinks about the day's events. Jada had been so entwined in Sam’s life while he was in Sudan. Even after being brought back to the US, Jada has always been in the back of his mind. Her resentment of Sam, being lied too, and taken away from the only family she knew. Jada’s tired. She wants to go home. No matter the consequences. Callen understands. He thinks back to Kristin Donnelly. He knows the hurt in their eyes. The pain they’ve caused over the years. This job isn’t for the weak.

Callen admires that Sam married Michelle. He doesn’t quite understand how he makes it work. But he does, they do. Snapped back to reality by a wave hitting his toes, he realizes he was clenching the sand around him and he lets his mind wander again. This time it’s back to Jada.

He knows he can’t keep Jada here. The hope in her eyes of returning home. I can’t force her to stay. He thinks. He also hopes that home for her is what she expects. Deep down he knows that Sam knows that she can’t stay in the US anymore.

Callen looks out to the ocean and sighs. Now his mind’s wandering to his past. It’s been months, since he tried to find Arkady, and still nothing. He wonders if he was ever going to figure out his past. So many blank spaces. So much not knowing who he is. He needs to find Arkady. As much as that Russian annoys him sometimes, it’s the closest link to his past, he’s ever had.

Looking down, he takes a few deep breaths and let’s out a scream. Somedays it’s the best way to get rid of the stress. Slowly standing, he takes one last look at the beach before heading back to his car and his place for the night.

[Click here for Callen goes to Work the Next Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70207863)  
[Click here for Callen calls out sick and Starts to go Rogue](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70208073)


	3. Callen Goes To Work The Next Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Callen is just lying in bed, when his phone goes off. Groaning, he reaches for it, and see’s Deek’s name.

“Yeah, Deeks.” he says kind of curtly.

“Hey man, how are you doing?”

“What do you want Deeks?”

“Wait? How do you know I want something?”

“Deeks, we really don’t talk to each other outside of work, especially this early in the morning.”

“Point taken. Look I’m outside with Monty right now but I need you to do me a solid.”

“So Kensi spent the night?” says Callen in a playful tone.

“Yes, and her stuff is EVERYWHERE, like EVERYWHERE.”

“What are you going to do when you guys decide to move in together?”

“That’s why I need your help. See I bought this book about clutter, and I need you to give it to her.”

“You do realize this will not end well right?”

“Yes, it will, Callen, come on man. You have to do this for me. Seriously, look at her desk. Have you seen it? Her stuff is on your side.”

“I know, I know it is.”

“So help me out man.”

Callen takes a deep breath knowing Deeks won’t take no for an answer, “OK, what do I have to do?”

“There’s a book in my locker, I need you to give it to Kensi today.”

“How will I do that?”

“Kensi and I are working out this morning, I don’t know what you and Sam are up to, but you know I can pretend to work on my glorious Viking mane.”

Callen laughs, “Ok, you work on your precious hair, and I’ve got a plan.”

“Thanks man.”

“You do realize she’s going to kill you for this, right?”

“I know, I know. I’m well prepared for this.”

Callen smiles to himself and finishes the call with Deeks before setting about getting ready for the day.

****

As Callen walks into the bullpen he looks at Kensi’s desk. He takes note of her considerable increase in clutter over the past couple of months. Thinking to himself, he wonders how, if they were hardly in office, she has so much stuff on her desk.

He walks over to Deek’s locker and grabs the book. He places it in his bag and heads over to his desk to do some paperwork while he waits for Kensi to arrive. He doesn’t get very far, he’s too distracted wondering how one person can have so much junk on a desk.

Kensi walks in, busy with something, and Callen looks up at her, slightly amused.

“No Deeks huh?”

“No, no. Deeks. We finished our workout half an hour ago and he’s still getting ready. Don’t ask.” Kensi put her bag on the back shelf and grabs her orange as she sits down.

Peeling the orange, she asks, “Where’s Sam?”

“Still hitting the heavy bag. Don’t ask.” Callen looks at Kensi as her stuff is creeping ever closer to his half the desk.

“All right.” Kensi is deep into peeling her orange and the peel has now ventured onto Callens side. “It’s kind of nice,” she says looking around.

Callen sits and clears his throat.

Oblivious to the throat clearing, Kensi continues on, “It’s peaceful, quiet, even a little zen.” She laughs at that part.

Callen turns his head with his mouth slightly open and stares. In his mind he is wondering how that desk can be Zen.

Kensi looks at him. “What?”

He laughs, and decides it’s now or never to put Deeks’s plan into action. “There is nothing zen about your desk.”

Looking slightly hurt by this, “What do you have against my desk?” she asks.

Callen takes a deep breath and leans back. The more he looks at the desk, the more he’s really getting into this. “Let’s see.” His eyes dart down to the split, where Kensi’s papers and this mornings orange are now squarely on his side.

She finally looks down and sees her mess has crossed the line. “I feel you, I hear you.” She starts to slide the stuff to her side. “Sorry.”

Callen just looked at her solution to the problem with slight disbelief. “Kensi.”

“Yeah.”

“You have a problem.”

She quickly replies. “I don’t have a problem.”

“Do you prefer sickness?”

Kensi is starting to wonder what the heck Callen is getting at, “No?”

“Disease?” Callen knows he could go on and on with this but hesitates.

“Okay, I will work on it. And I promise I will keep to my side of the line.”

Callen leans over to his bag, it’s now or never he thinks. “Well, I decided to get you a… gift.”

Kensi looks at the book, “Scrubbed House, Scrubbed Soul? You think I need a self-help book?”

“No. No, you are WAY beyond self-help. No, you need professional assistance.”

“Oh that’s absurd.”

Callen thinks to himself, ‘well she hasn’t hit me yet so that’s a good sign’, “No, this is a New York Times Best Seller. Millions of people can’t be wrong.”

“Oh come on.”

“This whole mess… is about depression.” Callen knows he’s in too deep now to stop. Deeks is going to kill him along with Kensi.

“I am not depressed.”

“The book says… that you need to surround yourself with things that inspire happiness.”

Kensi is just looking at him in disbelief with this whole conversation. Two can play at this game she thinks. “Ok, Ok, I got your number, I know what this is about.”

Not missing a beat Callen replies, “Your pathological obsession with clutter?”

“Oh no, not at all. This is about your issues.”

“Mine?” Callen wonders what Kensi could pull out of her sleeve with this.

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Callen, you’re no more organized than I am. You just don’t have any stuff.” He chuckles as she continues. “My stuff symbolizes that which you lack. That’s why you can’t commit to a serious relationship.”

“Really?”

“Mmm-hmm”

“Oh. OK. Uh.. What about Joelle?” He knows that this is going to be a moot point as they were on the outs but still, they had been together for nearly two years.

“I’m sorry, is that serious?”

Callen is a little taken aback by that. He tries to say something but the words just aren’t coming.

“No, I didn’t think so, yeah, ‘cause you couldn’t commit to a coffee mug.”

Finding his voice, he mutters a “wow.” Adjusting himself in his seat, “Well at least you are not defensive about it.” He turns back to his laptop to work on some more paperwork.

“Defe…” He can practically see the light going on in Kensi’s head. “Wait a minute. Did Deeks put you up to this?”

Callen turns his head and looks at her. “Even Deeks doesn’t take 30 minutes to dry his hair.”

“Ohh Ohhh..” Kensi is getting mad. “I’m going to declutter his nose from his face.”

“Nope. Not defensive at all.”

Kensi is ready to make another comeback but Eric comes down the steps playing the saxophone out of key. Kensi turns to Callen, and then they looked at Beale as he really starts getting into his little ditty. When he stopped, he said, “Just posted an alternate version of that to YouTube. 12 hits and counting.”

Eric is proud of that fact.

“Sounded like a saxophone…” Callen trails off as he really can’t think of anything else to add.

“Callen, thank you so much.” Eric is honored that Callen noticed his work. Getting back to the task at hand. “Um there’s a case up in Ops. Uh Sam and Deeks are already up there. I’ll play you in.”

Callen and Kensi move to get up and to start their day.

“One, two, three, hey!” Eric starts getting into playing the saxophone again, when Kensi walks past him, she slaps her orange into the Saxophone’s opening. Looking back at Callen, “Now that inspires happiness.”

****  
As soon as they’re told about the case they know they’re in for a long day. Ties to ISIS and making sure our girls don’t end up ISIS brides and worse. The team fights, and they fight hard. In the end, this time around, they win. Callen and Sam and Deeks and Kensi go their separate ways for the night. Deeks is spouting off quotes from musicals, and Kensi, while’s she’s forgiven him for the book for now, is planning her payback.

Kensi and Deeks walk to their car, when Deeks realizes that LAPD is waiting for him. The internal affairs investigation has come to a head. As Deeks is being taken away for the murder of Frances Boyle, Kensi stares in disbelief.

She knows the first thing she should do is get Sam and Callen. But she doesn’t. Instead, she goes straight to the mission and into fight mode to save Deeks.

[Click here for Callen and the Team](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70208013)


	4. Callen and the Team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

It has been a crazy couple weeks for the team. Callen’s frustrated at himself for slacking when Deeks got arrested. Personal issues carried over into work. For now he’s making a promise to himself to not let happen again. Callen’s also proud of Kensi for standing up to Hetty. This is his team, and his team is doing good work.

As Callen finishes up some paperwork, he hears Hetty call his name. Walking over to her desk, he sees that she has tickets in her hand. “I think your team earned these, Mr. Callen.”

Taking the tickets, he sees that the Clippers were back in town, and she’s gotten tickets for everyone. “Thanks, Hetty. Are you and Granger coming as well?”

“Of course not, Mr. Callen. We have our discussions to finish up.”

“Discussions…” he trails off and nods as he slips the tickets into his bag. “Thank you Hetty.”  
Callen goes back to his desk and gathers the rest of his gear. Sending a group text on the way out, he tells everyone to be at the Staples Center in an hour.

When they all met at the entrance, they all look a little tired. Callen looks at his team, “It’s been a rough couple of weeks hasn’t it?”

“That’s an understatement.” replies Deeks.

“So who wants to share popcorn with me?” asked Nell.

“Ooh sounds good,” Kensi agrees. “And anyway, I’d rather share with you because I think Deeks would hog the bucket.”

“I doth protest,” Deeks laughs.

As the team start to enter the Staples Center, Callen motions for Kensi and Deeks to pull back a bit.  
“Callen, what’s up?” Asks Kensi.

“Just wanted to apologize for not taking it seriously enough when Deeks was arrested. Sam and I should have been more involved from the beginning and we weren’t.”

Deeks looks at Callen, wanting to make a joke, but knowing this is definitely not the time to do so. “Thanks for being there for me in the end.”

Kensi echos Deeks’s sentiments and gives Callen a small hug. “It’s OK. I was pissed, but I was also running on adrenaline and nerves. We got through this. We’re a team. We do things great but we also muck things up sometimes. It’s how we grow.”

Callen smiles. “I know, I just wasn’t being a good team leader that morning. But we’re here now enjoying the game on Hetty’s expense.”

Deeks smiles, “So can we put all our food into our expense report?”

Callen and Kensi reply in unison, “No.” They laugh. The three of them quickly catch up to the rest of the team, and they enjoy an intense game of basketball. Callen takes one look at all these people and couldn’t imagine working with a better team.

The End

[Click here to start again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70206879)


	5. Callen calls out sick and starts to go Rogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Callen’s sleep is restless. This is nothing new to him, but tonight he’s on edge even more than normal. He starts thinking about Arkady. He’s been gone for 7 months now. Seven long months. Who knows what happened to him after they left him bleeding. He hopes that Anna would have at least gotten in contact with Hetty. But he hasn’t heard anything from anyone.

The urge to start looking for his father hits him hard again. Texting Sam a quick message to let him know that he’s not coming to work, Callen eyes the envelope Hetty gave him a couple months ago.

He knows that Hetty would be mad that he opened the envelope, but he can’t just wait around anymore.

Pulling out his personal laptop, Callen opens the envelope. For a moment he thought Hetty might have it booby trapped, but it’s not. Still, he knows that Hetty will know that he opened it.

Looking at the list, he recognizes one name, Anatoli Kirkin. Callen chuckles. That guy sure had a thing for Deeks. Callen wonders if Kirkin is out of jail. If he’s the next piece in the puzzle of his life, Callen knows he has to find him again and so he begins his search.

Throughout the day, Callen follows leads as he goes down the list of names. He knows he was going in deep, but he couldn’t stop it. Everytime he gets one step closer he’s instantly thrown two steps back. Seeing how Jada could leave to go back to a family that could potentially kill her has set his mind spinning.

I need answers, Callen thinks, and so far none were turning up.

****

Back at the mission, the team is finishing up a relatively simple case for once. Once the team is close to leaving, Sam goes up to ops and asks Beale if he could see where Callen had been all day. “Come on Sam, you know he can hide very well.”

“I know, I know. Just one little breadcrumb, and I’ll know for sure what he’s doing.”

“I’m better off not knowing aren’t I?”

“Always Beale.”

Sam notices the familiar pattern of Callen’s movements and walks out of ops, headed out of the mission the back way so Hetty can’t question him.

Driving around the cemetery, he finds Callen sitting at his sister’s grave. Sam gets out of the car and sits next to him.

“G, you opened it didn’t you.” Sam says matter of factly.

“I had to. I need answers.”

“Searching for Kirkin on your own isn’t going to get you any. It’s only going to make Hetty even more pissed.”

“I know. I really just need to know that Arkady’s alive. Some link to my past is alive.”

“I get it. We will find the answers. Look, I can’t have my partner of nearly 10 years getting himself fired over this. This is your life. Come with me. On our own, we can search for things as partners. That’s what we do.”

Callen looks over at the gravestone and then at Sam. “I know.”

Slowly getting up, Callen knows that his team was family, and so were the Hanna’s. It gets a little harder each time when you get close to knowing about your past and then it disappears, but he’ll get through it. They’ll get through Jada and this, and come out stronger. Because that’s what they do.

[Click here for Callen goes to Work the Next Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70207863)


	6. Callen Checks in on Sam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Leaving the Mission, Callen tries to call Sam. No answer. Callen knows that Sam needs to process this, but also knows that 4 years of making sure Jada is safe has gone out the window. Callen decides to stop by the Hanna household to make sure everything’s OK.

Stopping by his favorite takeout place, he orders enough to feed the household, and heads towards the Hanna’s. Pulling into the Hanna’s driveway he sees Kam staring out of the window, when Michelle joins her. When Kam realizes who it is, she runs outside and when Callen opens the car door, chants of Uncle Callen come from her mouth.

Callen squats to her level and gives her a big hug. “Kam, how are you doing?”

“I’m good, Uncle Callen. Is that Greek food I smell?”

“Yeah, it is. Want to help carry it in?”

“Of course. Guess what Uncle Callen?”

“What?” Callen asks surprised, as he starts to unload the food from the car.

“I got a 99% on my science project!”

“Really? That’s great!”

“I know. Dad helped a lot. I think he wishes this was math stuff, but between you and me, I think he likes science projects.”

Callen laughs. “I think you are right Kam.”

Gathering the bags up Kam starts to laugh too, “Do you really think we need this much food?”

Callen looks at all the bags as he closes his car door and laughs with her. “Let this be a lesson to you, don’t go shopping hungry.”

“Lesson learned.” Kam replies as they made their way toward the house where Michelle was waiting for them.

“Hungry there Callen?” Michelle asks as she helps take a bag from him.

“Just a little.” he replies.

Making their way to the kitchen, Michelle tasks Kam with sorting out the food and ushers Callen back out to the living room. Michelle gives Callen a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Callen, it is so good to see you. You need to come by more often.”

“I know, I know.” he replies as he returns the hug, “How’s he doing?”

“You know how he is.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

“Callen, I hope you aren’t blaming yourself either. You know you had to let her go.”

“I know, I get that, and I completely understand why Jada doesn’t trust NCIS, but it’s still painful to see her going back to Tahir, when, at the drop of a dime, he could turn on her.”

“There are things he hasn’t told me about Sudan, and I know that even now they haunt him. And I know that Sam tries to do good by all and still sometimes ends up with the short end of the stick. It’s tough, it’s frustrating. You’ve been partners with Sam for what, 9 years now?”

“Yeah, 9 years, and we’re both still here.”

“Don’t you dare jinx that, Callen.”

He gives a soft chuckle. “Wouldn’t dream of jinxing that. Could you imagine me being constant partners with Deeks or Kensi?”

Michelle laughs, “No, I couldn’t, but I do see how the 4 of you make an amazing team in the field though.”

“Let’s not relive Sidorov.” Callen says. Even though he does agree that the whole Sidorov case brought Deeks and Sam together.

“Done. Now go talk to him, G.” Michelle gives Callen’s hand a small squeeze.

“Thanks. I know I don’t share much, but it’s always good talking with you.”

“Anytime baby.”

Kam comes into the living room saying dinner is ready to go. Callen and Michelle follow her back into the kitchen. Callen grabs a tray and places food and a beer for him and Sam on it. Giving a small smile to Kam and Michelle he heads out to the back patio.

“Hey.” Callen says as he places the tray down on the patio table.

“Hey.” Sam grabs one of the beers on the tray and takes a swig.

“Are you OK?”

“What do you think?”

“I think… that you are taking this rather hard, you are feeling like you are the good guy who gets screwed over again.” Sam just closes his eyes and takes a breath while Callen continues. “I also think at this moment you don’t want to talk to me, because you were hoping I would stop Jada from getting on that plane. I couldn’t do it Sam. We’ve protected her for 4 years. This was her choice. If she feels like Tahir won’t kill her, than that’s her prerogative. We did the best we could and it was time for her to do the best she could.”

“I know. I’m not mad. A little sad, yes. Mad, no. We’re partners. It’s what we do, G.” Grabbing a plate and digging into the food, Sam continues. “I know I couldn’t protect her forever. I’m pretty sure I lost that ability when I told her who I really was. You know how it is. Somedays we let the cases get too close.”

“I agree. We do what we do and we do it well. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but we definitely take something away from every case. Jada is her own strong woman, and we needed her to see that for herself. Going home shows that.”

Sam takes a deep breath. This hurt him. He knows he will put the walls up at work because he needs to be on his A-Game, because that’s what S.E.A.L.S do.

The partners continue to eat in comfortable silence for a while.

When Sam is almost finished with his food, he looks at Callen. “Really G.? You had to choose Greek food? You couldn’t have gotten a green smoothie for me or something?”

“You ate it didn’t you?” he retorts.

“I know, I guess everyone needs a cheat day here and there.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, of the empty chairs and trees let it be known that Sam Hanna has admitted to having a cheat meal.”

Both men laugh and toast their beers. They know they’ll get through this. They get through every case. Sam knows every now and again, Callen needed “family.” Tonight, as Michelle and Kam watch from the dining room, they were family.

[Click here for Callen goes home to Smolder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70206975)  
[Click here for Callen goes to Work the Next Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70207863)  
[Click here for Callen calls out sick and Starts to go Rogue](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70208073)


	7. Callen Goes Out with Deeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: The wonderful ncisabbylover who encouraged me on this summer while being ambitious with this project.  
> Note 1: This was written for the NCIS: LA fic exchange Summer 2016! My recipient is chrisodonline. I sincerely hope you enjoy this, and I hope you are well.  
> Note 2: This fic is a Choose your own Adventure type story. It's not too elaborate, but it's enough to have a little fun.  
> Note 3: The bits of The Long Goodbye and Defectors are not mine. They belong to Mr. Kalstein, and Ms. Jaffe. I did my best to transcribe them to my ability and make them fit the story. (also this goes with airing on TV order.)

Callen looks at the text from Deeks, he replies, see you in 10. He leaves the Mission and heads towards the bar.

Back in the armory, Deeks feels his phone buzz, hurriedly he pulls it out, not sure what to expect. There was Callen’s reply. “YES!” Deeks shouts as he throws his arm up in victory. “I knew it. He’s a softy all along.” Deeks finishes packing up, and makes his way to the bar.

The End

[If you want go back to the beginning and start again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641657/chapters/70206879)


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